It is known to attach a tire pressure monitoring (“TPM”) sensor assembly to a rim of a vehicle wheel. The TPM sensor assembly includes an electronic tire pressure sensor and a power source, such as a battery. The tire pressure sensor senses the air pressure in the tire and transmits an electronic signal, such as a radio-frequency (“RF”) signal, to an on-board vehicle receiver. The receiver evaluates the signal and provides an alarm to a vehicle occupant if the pressure in the tire is too low. A TPM sensor assembly may monitor other tire conditions such as tire temperature, etc.
TPM sensor assemblies of various types are known. One particular type of TPM sensor assembly includes a housing strapped to its associated wheel. Other known TPM sensor assemblies may include the valve stem assembly itself. Such valve stem mounted TPM sensors have the sensor mounted to the end of a valve stem assembly. Such valve stem/TPM sensor assemblies may include a soft elastomeric material surrounding the valve stem that seals against an associated mounting hole in the wheel as the assembly is snapped into place. During mounting, the valve stem is pulled through a receiving hole of the wheel. Such valve stems are known in the art as snap-in valve stems. The TPM sensor of the assembly senses tire pressure and/or tire temperature and sends appropriate radio frequency information including a unique tire identification (“ID”) code, sensed tire pressure, and sensed tire temperature to a vehicle on-board receiver for information display to the vehicle operator.